Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up.

Well the party is over, no more 21st to be had.  We had a bit of a do, a knees up, a partay for the Spare to celebrate him turning 21.  It was such a great night too.  He had so many friends there and we had a few of ours plus my sister and her family over from the beach.  I had to make a speech as TOF isn't a speaker, OMG I was bogging it.  No need to, it was fine, and I never have to make another speech again, so my speech making days are DONE!!

And they made me use a microphone! My audience laughed a few times so I must have been entertaining somewhere in my talk.  The venue was upstairs at our local tavern and it was excellent.  The bar staff on duty were amazing and the food was THE BEST!  Curtosey vans took the party goers into town, so with a quick clean up we were out of there by 1am. TOF and I then realised we hadn't had dinner, only a savoury so we did a detour through the golden arches of a drive through Mc Ds.

So my baby is all grown up now.  He has gone from baby bottles of milk to a yard glass full of beer!!  No more birthday parties to be had for the lads now, well ones that we put on that is.

The other day the Heir and I took the dogs for a walk in my favourite place, Tatua Arboretum.  He had never been there so it was nice to show him around.

It was a nice Sunny Winter day,

very mild and perfect for a wee wander.

I found the colourful things!

The Heir loved the Chickens and Roosters like me.

I went to a Book Fair the other day and found these ones.  I am half way through reading The Mistress Of Spices, and it is a lovely read.  The Scandinavian one is gorgeous of course. Who doesn't need a book on Happy Thoughts?  Probably me because my head is constantly full of them.  But I think Growing Old Disgracefully will be my new go to book, SO FUNNY!!

Does anyone know what this plant is called?  I snapped this off a shrub at a mate of the Heirs, the mate had no idea what it was.  All I know is it is gorgeous. Any ideas??

Biggles Mc Big Cat pretty much sums up the last few weeks for me.  It has been pretty busy and has had some up and down moments, but nothing I cannot handle and nothing to worry about. Sometimes you just have to put your big girl pants on and get stuck in!!

 I got a bit bored with my hair so it has gone back to Blonde today.

Quote from 'Happy Thoughts'

Freedom is not

worth having if it

does not include

the freedom to 

make mistakes.

and

Live joyfully and peacefully

knowing that right thoughts

and right efforts inevitably

bring about right results.

 

 

At the end of the day, two cakes are better than one!!

Life somehow seems to have got super busy of late, doing what I don't know but all I know is the weeks have been flying past faster than a superhero on a rescue mission.

Lucky for me I love to take photos, it so helps me recap what I have actually been doing.  I said I would go back and watch those gorgeous horse do their jumping thing, and I am so glad I did.

 I fell in love with the cutest little show jumping girl on her sweet little pony.

 CUTE!!!

Pretty sure this horse rolling in the paddock near the jumping part was having a good laugh at not having to be all saddled up and pimped out to go jumping.

Horses are amazing creatures, I think I would actually like to give the old horse riding thing a go, maybe even try the jumping stuff.  Looked like so much fun.

I couldn't take a horse home but I did find a pile of small pine cones.  Not the same I know but they look very seasonal in a basket at the front door.

I have watched a lot of the Olympics on TV.  Our girl Val got a silver in the shot put.  I rather like the mens swimming, phoar!!!

I bought GREEN BOOTS for $40 off Trade Me that went perfectly with the Jellicoe dress I got off Trade Me as well. 

 

I wore my rugby watching skinny jeans with a dress and velvet coat with Mary Jane shoes.

ORANGE BOOTS and an AQUA SCARF brightened up an otherwise black and white outfit.

Two recently Op Shopped dresses went well together and matched my RED BOOTS like it was meant to be.

The sun made an appearance so Sunnies got worn, with grey, black and redness.

Jack Frost visited one morning and I could see exactly where he had been in my garden.

His work melted away as the sun broke through.

I found some fabric covered small half mannequins on Trade Me and they are perfect for my Brooches.  I think I have ample brooches and necklaces so why not display them all.

 Some Op Shopped treasures.

I was so excited to see my Orchid had finally flowered, I have truly neglected this plant so this has been a pleasant and welcome surprise. 

TOF BAKED fruit puff lolly cake and it didn't last long!!

My Garden thinks it is Spring already.

Seeded plants are still reaching to the sky.

 How beautiful are Hallibores (Winter Roses) close up?

Baby Daffodils that smell divine.

 

My creepers are flowering and nearly meeting in the middle of the climbing frame above the garden swing.  Going to look pretty fabulous when they get to mingle.

 

Colourful Daisies that look like they have been painted.

They have, with Mother Natures brush.

 Violets!

 Morning dew glistening in the sunshine,

yeah baby, we had more sunshine!!

My baby, the Spare turned 21 today so I decorated his bedroom and pimped out a supermarket cake.  I don't bake birthday cakes. 

His gorgeous girlfriend baked him a Banoffe Cake and we all agreed that two cakes were better than one!!

 

We are having a bit of a knees up at our local on Saturday night, should be loads of fun, his friends are hilarious.  More decorating will take place and I shall take lots of photos so you will get a sneaky peak at a Kiwi 21st next time.

Before I leave you all, I found these lollies in a chemist shop.  I bought home the Man Flu ones as the Spare had the sniffles.

Catch you all next week!!

It rained so much I think I got washed away for a while.

Finally today the sun is out and I feel like blogging.  Winter has been wet, cold and down right miserable over  the last couple of weeks.  The sort of weather that makes you stay in doors under a blanket if you can.  But I still managed to get out and about in between the showers of rain, well I still had to work didn't I.  There was rugby to go watch, shops to be shopped in, and other little trips out that helped break up the monotony of WINTER!!!

During some of those in door moments I unearthed a project that has only been on the go for a couple of years.  Well Rome wasn't built in a day was it?

My Blanket coat!!  Every seam I topped stitch by hand in blanket stitch, which I might add I forgot how to do so had to goggle it.  Anyway I am on the home straight now, the end is in sight.  Just some finishing off and it will be finally wearable.  Perfect for the even colder weather that has been predicted.

My dear friend Anne was having a sort out and gave me a couple of things she thought I might like, why thanks very much, both gratefully received.  Is there such a thing as too many baskets?  I think not!!

Mr Big has become my constant companion of late and totally become boss of the house and our family.  I am so glad he is happy to live with us all.

This made me laugh, it would seem my Bird of Paradise was having a bad hair day!!

Speaking of hair I decided to go GREY!!

My garden is beginning to bloom and the fragrance from the Daphne is heady to  say the least. Actually Spring flowers are springing up everywhere at the moment, Mother Nature is confused it would seem.

I have continued to wear colour, and layers as my way of brightening up those dull days just for myself.

Pretty Pink Hali-bores, Fairy Camellias, are  welcome sight at home.

 Accents of AQUA worn with a french braid.

Trade Me and Op shops have been getting my attention.  The Glass Terrarium and the Felt slippers were op shopped.  The sterling silver frog ring and the two Cape Cods were Trade Me buys.  The chairs will get sanded and brightened up for Summer, every day that season is getting closer.  I tell myself this as a way of dealing with the gloom of Winter.

Sleeping dogs are letting Big join them.

A visit to Dawn had pretty young lads in a paddock and colourful creations to cheer anyone up.

And because her talents are limitless, there was a gorgeous copper wire creation in the process of being made.  I cannot wait to see this sculpture all finished.  This was inspired by something we saw on Facebook.

I got spotty one day with the flowering Kaka Beak.

On a surprisingly sunny day I  made good use of the weather and went to visit my feathered friends at Taitua Arboretum.

Monarch Butterflies and Bees of all sizes were making the most of the good weather and the flowers on offer.

Huge flowering Camellias were everywhere and a lone duck was bathing in a water trough.

I love this place, the peace and quietness of a sunny day with Nature, large trees, and flowering offerings, and of course the continual crowing of the lads back in the car park.  Native birds dart about too fast and too far for my camera.

 

With a cafe meet up with Sue W to follow.  The most divine Carrot Cake ever and a pot of Earl Grey.   My tea for one even came in a chicken themed pot!

TOF and I have traveled to rugby on some gloomy Saturdays to watch the spare play.  Yesterday was particularly WET, WINDY, and bloody COLD!!

 

His team made it into the top four teams but sadly they lost by ONE point.  So close but not close enough.  It has been great being part of the support troop on the sideline each weekend, but it will be rather nice to get our Saturday arvos back.

But that sun managed to arrive on our drive home, TOO LATE SUNSHINE!!

This morning I drove to our Equestrian Centre and watched some graceful nags practicing for a dressage competition that was happening.  Such beautiful animals, and some are huge!!

I love how manes are plaited, heads are bejewelled, tails are brushed and some horses even have their coats trimmed.  After chatting to some horsey folk I found out that next weekend there is show jumping on.  Guess you know where I will be next Sunday now.

As much as I would like to lie around indoors like Big I need to get outside while the weather is nice and clean the girls bedroom out so hopefully they will reward me with some EGGS!!!

Good to know don't you think and a positive way to greet every day no matter how shitty it looks outside.  Tomorrow I shall arise to SINGING, well maybe not, maybe I shall just Whistle.